Within the courtyard of the Duke's mansion.
As Owen and Leslie combined their power to activate the Divine Path Stone, filling Azure Kingdom with immortal energy, they both let out a slight sigh of relief.
In their perception, Azure Kingdom had already disconnected from the surrounding ti and space, as if it now existed in an alternate dinsion.
With this immortal energy present, Azure Kingdom could finally rest assured for the duration of the Millennial Cataclysm!
"While the Divine Path Stone grants us so security, it's still far from enough," Owen remarked, his gaze deep as he looked at Leslie.
Leslie nodded in understanding, her tone serious as she replied, "This Millennial Cataclysm arrived much sooner than expected. Azure Kingdom's strength isn't yet sufficient to launch an offensive against The Celestial; we'll have to find another way."
Hiding away in a single kingdom wasn't their vision. Opposing The Celestial was not just talk, but would require elite forces and a mighty, vast army.
As for top-tier forces, Owen already had plans, but for an army, he was less certain.
It would take too long to build a force from within Azure Kingdom, as its people's
foundations were weak and wouldn't allow for swift battle readiness. The only viable option was to enlist the formidable forces already established in Middle Earth.
However, such forces were the pride of those powers, cultivated with great difficulty. Persuading them to hand over their armies for Owen's cause would be no easy feat.
As Owen and Leslie discussed their strategy, Charlotte suddenly hurried into the courtyard.
"My Emperor, Empress!" she said, bowing deeply before she spoke. "The Dragon Clan, Academy City, Cloud Empire, and many other powers are seeking an audience with the Emperor and Empress. The capital is almost overwheld with people from all sides. They're hoping their forces will be allowed into Azure Kingdom!"
Hearing this, Owen and Leslie's eyes lit up slightly.
They had anticipated that the factions of Middle Earth would co seeking shelter to survive the Cataclysm, but they hadn't expected them to arrive so swiftly.
Azure Kingdom's territory, after all, was limited. They could only cover the kingdom itself with immortal energy at present, so latecors might find no sanctuary here.
Charlotte glanced at Owen and Leslie and asked, "My Emperor, Empress, there are so many of them. How would you like to respond?"
This was a crucial decision for Azure Kingdom's future; many factions simply saw Azure Kingdom as a temporary refuge. Once the Cataclysm was over, these factions would likely have no further interest in Azure Kingdom.
Leslie considered this for a mont, then looked at Owen. "This Millennial Cataclysm is a perfect opportunity for us to recruit valuable allies. We need to be selective."
Owen nodded in agreent. "I feel the sa. Charlotte, have them wait in the conference room. Leslie and I will go shortly."
Charlotte nodded, promptly leaving to arrange accommodations for the impatient factions.
"Who do you think we should recruit?" Leslie asked once Charlotte had left.
Owen gazed up at the sky thoughtfully.
He had considered potential alliances ever since joining the resistance against The Celestial. After gathering his thoughts, he replied, "With Lord of Stars and the others facing off against the heavenly forces, our imdiate target is The Celestial's Four Sanctuaries. We'll need excellent intelligence networks, elite battle forces, and top-notch training resources!"
Leslie nodded thoughtfully, then asked with a hint of curiosity, "The Four Sanctuaries under The Celestial's domain are led by the Erald Dreamscape, followed by the God Realm, the Burial Grounds, and the Mist Veil. Which would you start with?"
The Celestial's followers were mainly concentrated within these sanctuaries, each of imnse power, even surpassing Middle Earth in strength. Seizing any of them would deal a heavy blow to The Celestial's influence.
But each sanctuary was incredibly formidable, and attempts to breach them had ended in heavy losses for Lord of Stars' forces.
"To strike at The Celestial's faith, we'll start with the mightiest: the Erald Dreamscape," Owen said with a smile. Though the sanctuary's power surpassed Middle Earth, he had a plan in mind.
"If I'm not mistaken," Leslie mused, narrowing her eyes, "the guardian of the Erald Dreamscape is the ancient dragon Ysera. They say in human form, she's the most beautiful woman of all ti, able to ensnare any man in a dream they can never wake from. Why are you targeting her?"
According to Leslie's information, Ysera wasn't just imnsely powerful-her beauty had captivated countless admirers, making the Erald Dreamscape nearly impregnable.
Owen coughed lightly, explaining, "Ysera rules the Erald Dreamscape, commanding the empire of dreams. Defeating her would put the Dreamscape within our grasp."
"Moreover, the ancient empire of dreams holds a forbidden spaceti array, which could call forth the long-lost goddess of beauty."
Leslie nodded faintly, though she couldn't shake the feeling that sothing was amiss. Was it really just Ysera or these alluring goddesses that threatened her? Perhaps she was overthinking it.
"If that's the case, I'd suggest taking the easier targets first," Leslie replied. "Launching an attack on the Erald Dreamscape right away would be risky. A loss would deal a major blow to morale, especially as we haven't even ford our army yet. Even if we had a force ready, they'd lack the experience needed for such a large-scale battle."
Leslie shook her head, but before she could finish, Owen spoke confidently, "What if I told you that Ysera, the ancient dragon, is actually the daughter of Loki, the God of Trickery? Would you then consider attacking the Erald Dreamscape?"
"Oh?" Leslie's interest piqued instantly.
She harbored a deep disdain for Loki, the scheming ancient god, and the thought of clipping
his wings was enticing.
"But Ysera is a dragon-turned-human, and Loki is a dark arachnid. Is she really Loki's
daughter?"
Leslie sensed sothing unusual at play.
"Loki's abilities are far more powerful than you might expect," Owen replied. "Over the years, he's collected countless bloodlines and strange talents. He can transform into any species at will, even changing his gender if he wishes."
Owen had a profound mory of Loki, especially his daughter.
"If Ysera didn't dislike n-and even loathed her father-they would be quite a dangerous
duo if they joined forces."
A glimr of reminiscence flickered in Owen's eyes.
Ysera's power was formidable, having inherited the best bloodlines from both Loki and the Erald Dragon Queen, though she was more like her mother: dominant, authoritarian, and
capricious.
But after eting Leslie, Ysera, who showed no interest in n, gradually grew fascinated with her during their battles and eventually submitted, becoming Leslie's greatest general. In later episodes of the ani, she was the second most significant antagonist, next only to
Leslie.
Due to their extraordinary beauty, many viewers saw Leslie and Ysera as dream goddesses- or imagined a hidden romance between the two.
Their power and allure were both top-tier in the ani's later arcs, one of the highest levels
in the series.
Owen's attention on Ysera stemd partly from these reasons.
Seeing Owen lost in thought, Leslie did not disturb him. Since Ysera had close ties to Loki, it was indeed worth attacking her.
At that mont, Duke Charles entered the courtyard, coughing twice, and after rubbing his ears, which were nearly deafened by the noise outside, he urged,
"Owen, Leslie, the leaders of Middle Earth, the continent, and other visiting factions have gathered in the main hall. It's beco quite the uproar; you'd best make a decision soon."
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